Coffee grinder apparatus
AssigneeBreville Pty Limited
InventorsCon Psarologos, David Davenport, Richard Hoare
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An espresso machine has a built-in coffee grinder. A coffee grinding apparatus cooperates with a removable portafilter having a handle, the apparatus including: a cradle for supporting the portafilter; an actuator adjacent to the cradle for co-operating with the portafilter; a downward facing ledge engages a front tab of the portafilter for resisting imbalance of the portafilter when supported by the cradle. Wherein, when the portafilter is supported by the cradle and advanced forward, the front tab of the portafilter further contacts the actuator to operate an electrical switch, thereby causing a signal to be sent to a microprocessor for delivering coffee grinds to the portafilter.
Claims11
An espresso machine device for cooperating with a removable portafilter to be gripped and manipulated by a user, the device including:
- a base;
- an upright portion extending from the base, the upright portion having a ledge projecting generally horizontally toward the user, the ledge having a left ledge portion and a right ledge portion relative to the user, the ledge comprising:
- a portafilter retainer for retaining the portafilter located adjacent the left ledge portion;
- a built-in coffee grinder located above the portafilter retainer for dispensing coffee grounds from the coffee grinder into the portafilter;
- a steam wand located adjacent the right ledge portion;
- a brew head located between the coffee grinder and the steam wand, the brew head having helical slots for sealingly engaging the portafilter;
- and
- a user-operated dose selector, the dose selector being configured to send a first signal to a microprocessor that is indicative of a user requirement for either one or two doses;
- an actuator adjacent to the portafilter retainer for co-operating with the portafilter when the portafilter is in the portafilter retainer, the actuator being configured to cause a signal to be sent to the microprocessor to cause operation of the grinder;
- and
- a removable hopper comprising a bean reservoir and a coupling portion, wherein the coupling portion is adapted to fit within a cooperating receiving opening formed on the espresso machine device, wherein the receiving opening includes at least one recess for receiving a reciprocating slider that extends from a side wall of the coupling portion,
- wherein an underside of the coupling portion has one or more discharge openings that can be blocked by a shutter,
- wherein operation of a user control closing the shutter and simultaneously causing the slider to retract allows the hopper to be withdrawn, and
- wherein the microprocessor is configured to use the first signal to determine a duration of operation of the grinder to dispense coffee grounds to the portafilter for a brewing operation, and the microprocessor is configured to use the first signal to deliver a user-selected dose for the brewing operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.